Liberty and Sustainable Energy for All

In the technology-saturated world that we live in, it is hard to believe that there are parts of the planet that lack basic electricity needs. For most, it would be impossible to live without plugging in, so to think that not everyone in the world can flip a power switch is a concept that many do not comprehend.

The United Nations (UN) has taken a positive step forward to mitigating the disconnection dilemma. Last November, Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General instigated a new vision subsequent to an International Energy Agency (IEA) special report. 2012 was declared the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All by the UN General Assembly. The report estimates that some 1.3 billion people lack access to electricity. A $48 billion investment per year is needed for universal energy access by 2030, according to the report.

“It is unimaginable that today’s economies could function without electricity and other modern energy services,” Ki-moon said.

More than 95 percent of the 1.3 billion are either in sub-Saharan Africa or developing Asia. These are applications where small distributed wind power could

play an immediate role in remedying the problem.

THE INITIATIVE, A STEP FORWARD

The UN launched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative this year. The UN must do a complete political and social overhaul to drive the renewable energy industry into the economies that need it the most. From small, isolated villages to advanced urban societies, the UN must yield a common ground; one in which those separated by power barriers will be not only connected to electricity but to the global society of mankind.

The initiative will provide a platform for existing and planned initiatives, working to fortify one another. The General Assembly aims to carry a principal theme, a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty education, at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012 (Rio+20), which will be held in Rio de Janiero, Brazil in June.

Humanitarian, micro-grid and off-grid electrification applications require funding from both the private and public sectors. They need to indoctrinate technology and deconstruct infrastructure. It’s a big pill that many before have seemed to choke on rather than shallow whole. The UN is pouring the glass half-full and taking the gulp.

To achieve these goals, the partnership will have to implement a set of best practices, efficient supply chains, and sustainable energy product deployment- amongst a variety of other political knots like tariffs and inefficient subsides.

A SOLUTION THAT BEGINS WITH WIND

Small renewable energy products like those manufactured and distributed by Southwest Windpower can build a solid base to bridge the gap. Southwest Windpower turbines are manufactured for initiatives just like this. Our turbines are just as effective in the backyard of a suburban house as they are in remote villages, commercial telecommunications and residential off-grid electrification markets, all of which would benefit the aforementioned sub-Saharan and Asia-Pacific regions.

Southwest Windpower is the leading name behind small-scale wind turbines. We specialize in small, reliable battery charging wind generators that can easily compliment solar energy in supplying energy to rural, underdeveloped areas. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) supported development of the company’s Skystream 3.7®, which was a part of the agency’s Wind Energy Program. Our turbines have received numerous third-party certifications from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) with respect to performance, reliably and safety. Our products are proven to work.

“We know now that we cannot continue to burn our way to prosperity,” stated Ki-moon. He suggests that as a global entity, we must choose a different path; we must embrace new technologies and renewable energy production in a more clean, efficient and affordable method.

Southwest Windpower turbines have touched hundreds of thousands of people, produced more than 21 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity and prevented the emission of some 30 million pounds of CO2. The company has established a feasible way in which to produce renewable clean energy at a reasonable cost in places that have wind.

The UN’s endeavor is to create new business and market opportunities that will open up human advancement. Since these goals cannot be achieved without sustainable energy— a viable possibility can begin with wind.